As 2021 quickly comes to a close, we look back at this year’s legislative session, which included several employment-related bills signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, including bills aimed at prohibiting quotas that interfere with employees’ ability to take breaks and combatting wage theft and wage/hour violations by garment manufacturers.
We have summarized the new laws that have the most impact on employers across the state. All bills are effective starting January 1, 2022, unless otherwise stated.
Covid-19
Employers in certain industries are required to rehire employees previously laid off due to Covid-19. On April 16, 2021, Governor Newsom signed SB 93. This law, commonly referred to as a “right of recall,” requires employers in certain industries—hotels, private clubs, event centers, airport hospitality operations and service providers, and building services such as janitorial, maintenance, or security—to make written job offers to qualified employees laid off due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Qualified employees are defined as (1) employees who were employed by covered employers for six months or more during the 12 months before January 1, 2020, (2) who performed at least two hours of work for the employer, and (3) whose most recent separation from active service was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under this law, if an employer intends to fill a position, it must first offer the position to a laid off employee who is qualified for the position. If more than one employee is...
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